V.O. Guy
Hello and thanks for coming along to …And we have an office dog, the digital agency podcast where we talk to agency owner, directors and learn more about what makes them tick from the things that make them similar to the things they’d rather have known sooner where they’ve had success. And where they’ve learned some hard lessons. All will be revealed. With your host, Chris Simmance, the agency coach, and he’ll be talking to a different awesome agency person in each episode, asking them four questions and seeing where the conversation takes us over the next 25 minutes. OK, so let us begin over to you, Chris.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Thanks. Voice over guy and on The podcast today we’ve got Eve Gaut For a second time. Hey, eve.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Hi Chris, how are you?
Chris Simmance (Host)
Really good, really good. Exhausted from having to be everywhere, all at once. A bit like the movie. But it’s it’s it’s. It’s a fun. Wild ride at the minute. And how about you? What’s what’s what’s? What’s going on this week? So we’re recording this on a Thursday, so hopefully looking forward to a weekend.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah, absolutely. We’re actually one of the changes I made and starting this year or have tried to make is just reduce a little bit my hours and you know and I think that’s the beauty of having a team and empowering A-Team to work with you as well. So. So, actually, officially tomorrow should be a day off for the weekend bit nearer than we think, Chris.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Well, I messaged you on Friday afternoon to see if.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
You reply. Well, that’s the reality. But I yeah, you know I will. That’s the thing. You never really shut off. As a founder of a business right?
Chris Simmance (Host)
You never do. You never do and. So if for. Anyone who’s listening to this has been a bit naughty and skipped season one because some people do that. Believe it or not. Give give them a. Little bit of a reminder who is EVE and. What do you do?
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yes, Eve I am. Eve got I’m the founder of Parrot PR and Marketing, the business that I’ve set up and just under six years ago now. And where has that time about flowing? We are full circle. Marketing agency, we predominantly work in the sector and the design, architecture and lighting. But of course we have clients that go forward in those units as well. So yeah, we offer all services. As much as we possibly can to.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Everyone, that’s awesome. And in general, positive net positive over the. Last year.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah. Look, it’s been fantastic. Every days of school day. When you run a business for sure. And I think every day I’m just learning more and more, which is something I actually really love the most about being an entrepreneur and and owning a business is just really everything that you learn every day. You think you know everything can then occur. Four comes in your direction and it. Where can I navigate this situation?
Chris Simmance (Host)
Ohh yes. Ohh yes so so since we last spoke what’s been some of the like the major things that have happened in the agency, what’s been some of the? Like the biggest. Changes that have happened in the last year.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah, I guess. That personnel right in an agency it it changes, you know things do change and and and not good actually because things evolve as well. So for our agency, we’ve continued to grow. We now have a bigger team, which of course is fantastic, which and I need that opportunity. And just to have a little bit more. Work life balance. Very, very much involved in the business, but just being able to have a bit more balance is fantastic. We’ve got a really good, solid team of people with a real good variance of skill. Actually, so we like to think we don’t have any holes now, so. When you set. Up clients ask for things and you might not have the full skill set initially, but we’ll continue to grow that actually based on client feedback and client needs. So the teams got bigger. I think that’s the biggest, the biggest takeaway for the past 12 months growth. And and and.
Chris Simmance (Host)
And and I know as as agencies grow, bringing new people, it’s you. You’re you’re adding. To the culture pot, should we say of the the melting pot of an agency where you’ve got people from different places who’ve had. Different upbringings, different educations, maybe from different countries, different experiences and everything like that. And it all comes into this kind of melting pot of of, of your agency. What have you? What? What have been some of? The kind of the the. The the nicer. Things that have happened in terms of bringing different people in is it is it like new ideas? Is it just a? Bit more fun. What? What? What’s what’s what’s cool there?
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah. Well, look, we have a. Really, really good culture and. A power PR marketing. So the team. Tell me and and so I feel.
Chris Simmance (Host)
You know, tell you I’m the I’m the pain. Of death.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
No, seriously, I’m definitely not bribing them at the time. You know, we get told that we have a really good culture and we do. We’re very, very friendly, very, very approachable. Except for a small team, it’s not hierarchical. It really is just about collaboration in turn. As well as externally with our clients, so definitely learning from different people’s experiences. As you say, everybody has their own story which is fantastic and with that they bring lots of different expertise, even viewpoint to matter. So you know, you might have a commercial matter and you know, none of us are experts. You know, I didn’t run a business. For Parrot PR marketing. And just being able to speak to people and kind of take a cheque in with other people on their standpoint, sometimes you go, Oh yeah. OK. I can see it from that perspective as well. So I really enjoy the kind of perspective stuff. I find that people bring as well and and that they’re a great team. There’s just no issues, there’s no politics so far.
Chris Simmance (Host)
That’s great and. Don’t keep it that way. For as long as possible.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Can you think it very firmly come stand here, Chris?
Chris Simmance (Host)
I I think with the attitude you’ve got towards people and business, I think I think you know it’s it’s inevitable that you’ll have. A few hiccups with people because people are people. But you know you’ll, you’ll, you’ll, you’ll, you’ll. You’ll keep them happy, I think. And it’s it’s people look up for how to behave. And you know, if you if. You have the right presence and leadership skills then then people will follow well so. Keep it up.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
I’ll try.
Chris Simmance (Host)
So that’s the. Agency in the last year. What? What have you seen industry wise emerging? What what are you? Looking at. Interestingly, what are you avoiding purposefully? Is there anything that’s happening in the last year that you’ve kind? Of gone hmm, this is new.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah, well, not necessarily you. I would say that I guess client expectations client demands have definitely varied will be actually in a in a strange economic climate at the moment. And of course, everybody wants more. Bang for their buck. You know, so sometimes that can be expectations that perhaps aren’t aligned with with things that are realistic. You know and. I always say, you know, it’s quality over quantity. As well like. We can all smash out lots of work. But is it actually going to fulfil the purpose of what that activity is set for? So I would definitely say client expectations and demands have that have varied, and that’s something that you know you have to adhere to. And and you have to align for that and manage as best as you can. And I would say from a kind of marketing, PR standpoint, one thing that the pandemic taught us and and we probably spoke about this in our last podcast at length is having a a kind of digital identity. You know that’s become really important. I would say you know it’s above. Word at the moment, personal branding and it’s something that, you know, we talk about a lot, but you know, we have a lot more leaders of businesses saying was actually it’s not just about having a company tone of voice than a company presence which actually is the very important. But does that definite kind of realisation that people do business with people. And as we thought about people saying, well, actually. Can you help me work on my profile and that doesn’t just mean having a look at their LinkedIn profile and smashing out a few posts. It’s, you know, how can I actually really get buy in and and kind of online sentiment from my audience. Yeah, and. And you know, I always go back to the metrics when you look at companies like Virgin and Richard Branson, you know the followers, Richard Branson. As it’s far greater and people go, I I can’t believe that. But I can believe it because he’s developed a brand that people are aligning with and it’s one of the reasons that some people would choose to do business with that brand and there’s heaps of other Excel. So I think there’s definitely been a real kind of change in, in that attitude and more leaders wanting to become more visible or realising they have to be more visible.
Chris Simmance (Host)
And and you mentioned about the UM, the client demands the client expectations and what are you as a as an agency? What are you guys doing to kind of? And realigned clients when when these things come up because it’s it’s super hard because you don’t want. To you don’t want to upset them and lose them. But at the same time you you’re it will. It will cause more problems than it than it than it will solve if you if if you capitulate every single time. So what are you guys doing? How are you handling that?
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah, really interesting question there. So one of the things my mum always told me when. I was a. Young girl was. Choose your battles. So I always look at things from a kind of commercial standpoint here and I think we all know that sometimes the clients that perhaps spend the rest or on their marketing activity are usually the ones that make the most noise. And you have. To look at that situation, because look, they’re growing. Things, when you’re small businesses or small businesses will obviously have a lot more questions, will require a lot more reassurance. Cares just the process of working with an agency is so much more different to things they’re used to. You know, some of these companies have never even had a marketing manager in house. They don’t even understand really the value of marketing and it’s our job to, I guess, convince them and show the benefits and the return on investment. So in answer to your question, I always look at it on a case by pay. Situation. Of course we look at the time we do for clients as an agency. We don’t sit there and do timesheets for every 50. Minutes. I believe that’s just another admin task I believe in in just being reasonable and actually working with people for the long term and the very idea of retainers as they go up and down. So if clients need a bit of a cheque in, I’ll go through what’s been delivered, have a chat with them about expectations. Often people will say actually we probably need to spend a bit more time with. You we didn’t realise. It’s just taking a bit of a rain cheque and and kind of acceptance. Other companies will still have unrealistic expectations. And then there’s a commercial decision to be made there, as whether actually do they require somebody else in house is working with an agency. The best thing for them is the service that we provide, something that’s going to align with their expectations and their future. Ambition for their company. And sometimes you make sensible decisions because that’s what you do in business. You know you have to.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Well, yeah, you hope to and because with all the data and all the information and all the experience, it’s still a decision and you, you know you’ve it’s it’s it’s down to you at the end of the day what what way you take it and and hopefully if it it goes hopefully it goes well. If it doesn’t it’s a lesson and in either case there’s something to gain. Which is still pretty important.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Even even when you make mistakes completely right, we’ve all made their day, but actually they’re the best learning because you never make the same mistake twice.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Well, you’re only if. Yeah, it’s. Only a mistake if. You’ve learned from it. Otherwise you are a. Bit of an idiot.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah, absolutely.
Chris Simmance (Host)
So. So we’ve talked about the agency in the. Last year we’ve talked about. The industry and and and changes around there. What about you? What? What as? The business has grown so professionally. Personally, how have you? How have you grown? What are some some of the major? Lessons for you over the last year.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
They are all. So many lessons. So to be personally, and I had a milestone birthday in there in December and one of the things that that I really wanted to do now.
Chris Simmance (Host)
21 yeah.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
21 of course, absolutely, and you can even go out to the next decade. But if if you hit the right one, I need to. Change my eye cream. Right. OK.
Chris Simmance (Host)
I know when to not say anything that’s. A lesson I’ve learned.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Absolutely. Yeah. And it’s a difficult one sometimes, but I had a marathon birthday and one of the things I really wanted to do after that was restore a bit of work life balance. But of course, when you set up an agency, you are working insane hours. You are people pleasing. You are doing everything you you’re actually, you know, kind of acting. Insanely so when you look back, but you have to do that to build a business and to gain people’s. 1st so after being almost in the business 6 years, I thought I have to take stock and I have to recapture the time back because he can run a successful agency, which he’s great. But what is the point if actually you’re not having heaps of happiness personally? And that’s not to say I have a terrible personal life? Absolutely not. But it’s having the time to be able to enjoy. Wonderful thing with my family, my annual holidays and all of those things. Things. And so for me, I personally am trying to restore a bit more work life balance. I’m continuing to build and empower the team to be able to make a decision. You know, I guess the clients to become less reliant on the founder of the business because if you’ve always been very front to pay some very visible and there’s going to be some clients that will grow. With that, but introducing those new personalities to new clients and to ensure that the. And continue to. Right. And I actually think one thing that I’ve that I’ve really learned and it’s a big lesson and and I speak about this a lot actually on LinkedIn because I feel very passionately about it is having the ability to say no, it’s actually it’s so powerful. But you know the amount of times that and I think a lot of people as they continue to evolve. Business people would say, oh, can I pick your brains on this? Oh, can you do me a quick favour? You Add all of those up and the. Compounding effect is insane. So you have to take stock and. Say I really really respect you and I want well for you, but I can’t give everybody my free time, otherwise I wouldn’t be running the business.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that I’m saying. And that’s a lesson and that and that is a big lesson to. Learn because the. Like you said, you kind of set things up in a you do a lot of people. Pleasing because you. Kind of have to, but also because it’s kind of in most of most people’s nature when they’re starting a business. Up and eventually that could easily turn into something a little bit dangerous. It it, you know you, it becomes something you just naturally have to do all the time. And and and I’ve done it so many times. I I I offered to help someone a couple of months ago, ages ago, very flippantly. I was like, oh, yeah, sure. I’ll help you. And then I end up. Spending an entire weekend moving their house. And I’m like, I don’t wanna be here. I didn’t think that this kind of flippant. Yes, I’ll help. You would really turn into moving the whole thing. I thought I’d be helping for an hour with some boxes. On the entire weekend. So that was my. You definitely need to weigh up the conditions before you say yes, the stuff, Chris.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Yeah, and and and I think. It’s it’s very important and I think you’re right. There’s also that transition period because when you start a business, you say yes to every opportunity you do everything every client require because you want to build. A successful business. You then get I. Guess leverage is the wrong word. Ringing but you kind. Of establish yourself more, become more confident in your ability and whatever it is. That’s OK. And what if it isn’t like that? But there’s a big landing there. There’s a big transition there from being that people pleaser and never saying no to politely happening to turn some things down or actually explain, you know, even things like, you know, I guess you go and meet a client and they don’t, you know, sometimes clients might not think ohh I didn’t. I didn’t realise this was going to come out of my. By time, but we don’t want a whole. Day lacking there. Speaking with you and say 4th and of course like you know, time is the most precious commodity. And I mean old.
Chris Simmance (Host)
That’s all you’re selling. Yeah, I’m talking of time. Talking of time. What’s what’s the plan for Parrot PR in the future? Parrot PR and marketing? Sorry, in the future, what’s there if we do season three years time, what are we gonna say? That you’re will be celebrating an achievement on.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Well, hopefully we’ll be celebrating the team growing lots of happy clients, continued stability and definitely continuing to move with the times and embrace everything that that the the world is throwing at us from all of the new digital platforms to even the relatively interesting a boring world that you know. Kind of taking a bit of a take on boxing and I and I know you know. It’s it’s frustrating, but the, you know, I think just in continuing to embrace new technologies, continuing to grow, have a happy team, really, really important to me. And if I can continue to restore that work and I felt I would be a very happy power, Chris.
Chris Simmance (Host)
And and well, I. I think like I said. Earlier, I think you’ve got every single bit of of of opportunity to make that a reality. You know, you’ve got the right. Mindset to to do that, and I think you. Can do it. Without being without taking too much away from one one side and to add to another. So I think you’re, I think next season season three, you’ll come along and you’re gonna. Go. Yep, did it. Definitely.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Put work work and. Personal phone. By season three, we’ll be winning.
Chris Simmance (Host)
That’s what we’re going to focus. On that school, right. Thank you so much for coming on to the podcast for the 2nd.
Eve Gaut (Guest)
Thank you so much. It’s been a prayer to speaking to. You Christ, thank.
Chris Simmance (Host)
Thank you. And in our next episode, we’ll revisit another agency leader to see how their last year’s been. So thanks very. Much for listening, everybody.